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KEY ACTUATED KEYBOARD RELEASE AND LOCK.

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WARREN FUHRMANN, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND EDWARD M. SQUAREY, OF

TUCKAHOE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 WILKINSON BROTHERS AND COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

KEY-ACTUATED KEYBOARD RELEASE AND, LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed July 10, 1917. Serial 110 179,628.

State of New Jersey, and EDWARD M.

S UAREY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Tuckahoe, county of lVestchester, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Actuated Keyboard Releases and Locks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide means in an adding machine, whereby the act of depressing a special key on the machine will first cause the keyboard to be cleared, and thereupon the keyboard will be locked to prevent depression of any of the keys.

A further object of the invention is to provide in such a mechanism means whereby the operation of depressing a special key such as a total key, will cause all of the latch bars that serve to retain the stop bars advanced, to be elevated to release all of the latch bars and connected keys; and thereupon the stop bars will be all looked against movement, and retained locked until final portion of the normal operation of the machine by the handle or main power shaft.

In the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment of our invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in the normal position. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 1 with the parts in consecutive positions of advancement. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 shows the pivoted plate for the latch. Fig. 9 shows the latch. Fig. 10 shows the pawl. Figs. 11 and 12 show the connecting levers for the sub-total key. Fig. 13 shows the rock arm. Fig. 14 shows the lever on the rock arm. Fig. 15- shows the lever for swinging the latch bars. Fig. 16 is a rear view of the plate and the latch and pawl carried thereby. Fig. 17 shows the total and sub-total keys and connected parts in partly advanced positions. Fig. 18 shows the total key depressed and the rock arm and its latch; and Fig. 19 is an end elevation showing the locking bar and connected parts This invention relates to means for causing the depression of either the total key or the sub-total key to effect the release or clearing of the keyboard, and thereupon the locking of the keyboard, and is preferably designed to produce these two operations during the act of depressing the key, and which means are actuated directly by the depression of the key by the operator. The invention is set forth herein as applied to a keyboard mechanism wherein the de pression of a key serves to advance a stop bar 1 having a beveled lug 2 thereon that engage pin 3 on latch bar 4, serving to raise the latch bar against its spring until the lug passes the pin,whereupon the pin will engage the rear vertical face of the lug to retain the stop bar advanced against the tension of its spring 5. Obviously the raising of the latch bar will free the lug from the pin, and the spring will retract the stop bar to normal position. It will be further understood that if the latch bar is locked against being raised, the stop bars cannot be advanced and the key bar will be locked. The latch bars 4 are supported by links 6 and 7 on the frame plates 8 of which a series are shown in Fig. 19. It is to be understood that each of the plates 8 extending across the machine is provided with the keyboard parts just described whose operation is identical. To elevate all of these latch bars 4, we provide a lever 9 mounted on a cross-shaft 10, the rear end of the lever being pivoted at 11 to a link 12. On the opposite side of the machine an arm, not shown, extends rearward from the shaft 10, and carries a link similar to the link 12, which links support a cross-bar 13 extending under all of the latch bars 4. Therefore swinging of the lever 9 will serve to elevate all of these latch bars.

To look the latch bars against being raised, we provide. a pair of levers 14 and 15 fast on a cross-shaft 16, see Fig. 19, which levers carry a locking bar 17. Swinging of these levers will bring the bar 17 above the front extension of the links 7, see Fig. 5, that will prevent elevation of the latch bars and hence lock the stop bars 1 against movement.

It is to be understood that the parts as described form no part of the present invention. To swing the lever 9 from the total key 18 or the sub-total key 19, a plate 20,

see Fig. 8, swings on a pivot 21 on the side plate and has an arm 22 engaged by a pm 23 on the total key 18 when the key is depressed; On this plate is pivoted a latch plate 24, see Fig. 9, having a lug 25 thereon, that normally projects beyond the concentric margin 26 of the pivoted plate. The latch plate 24 is pivoted at 27 on the plate 20, hence eccentric thereto.

It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that the margin 28 of the latch plate normally extends a short distance beyond the curved edge 26 of the pivoted plate. The latch plate'is normally held in this position by a spring 29 that holds an ear 30 on the latch plate against the pivoted plate. The latch plate is further retained in this position by means of a pawl 31, see Fig. 10, pivoted on the plate 20, to engage a beak 32 on the latch plate. A stop pin 33 on the lever 9 is normally pressed against the margin'26 of the plate 20, adjacent the inclined face of the lug 25, as shown in Fig. 1.

'When the key 18 is first pressed, the plate 20 will rock and the lug 25 will move to the left in Fig. 1, that will serve to swing the lever 9 downward by engaging the stop 33, as indicated in Fig. 2. This will serve to raise all of the latch bars, as shown, and releasethe stop bars 1. Further depression of the key will advance the lug 25 beyond the pin 33 and it will engage the edge 28 of the latch that projects beyond the margin 26 of the pivoted plate 20. But at this stage the arm 34 of the pawl will strike a fixed pin 35011 the side plate that will swing the pawl away from-the beak of the latch plate and permit the upward pressure of the pin 33 to slightly swing the latch plate on the stop platev until the pin 33 strikes the margin 26 of the plate 20, as indicated in Fig. 4. This will serve to hold the latch plate detachcd from the pawl for the remainder of the advance stroke, also for the first portion of the return stroke, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. But when. the stop pin moves from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3,- the stop pin will permit the lever to swing up and the latch bars will return to'normal position and remain so during the advance of the plate 20. On the return of the plate 20 when the key is retracted, the straight side of the :lug 25 will soon strike the pin 33, and as the latch 24 is now free from the pawl. 31, the latch plate will swing up, see

Fig.6, and permit the pin to ride along the concentricmargin 26 of theplate 20, without swinging the lever 9. During the first part of the return stroke the latch will be held against reengagement with the pawl now released from the fixed pin, by reason of the margin 28 of the latch plate extending beyond the margin 26 of the pivoted plate. As the plate 20 is retracted beyond the position of Fig. 16, the lug 25 will. pass beyond the pin 33 permitting the latch plate to be swinging plate 20. This will give th same movement to the plate 20 as was caused by the depression of the total key 18.- In the operation'of the machine the key is retained locked until the latter portion of the operation upon being fully depressed. But the arm 9 is released at the latter portion of the depression of either key and hence the latch bars will return to normal position and remain there until the next operation of the key, so far as the retraction of the keys is concerned. Y

Means are further provided for causing the depression of either of the keys 18 or 19 to swing the levers 14 and 15 and bring the locking bars 17 over the links 7, which is effected after the lever 9 has been swung and retracted to restore the latch bars to normal position. The latter is done at an intermediate portion of the depression of the key, when the latch plate is swung to the position indicated in Fig. 3, and the lug 25 has moved past the pin 33 on the bar 9. 'In certain machines of this character a rock arm 40 is providedthat carries a latch 41, see Figs. 13 and 16. The latch 41 is provided with a pin 42 that normally is held by a spring 43 under a shoulder 44 on the key 18, and also under shoulder 45 on the key 19, see Fig. 17. The depression of either of these keys will cause the latchto swing the rock arm 40 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that indicated in Figs. 5 and 17. A lever 46 is pivoted on the machine and carries a pin 47 that projects into a slot 48 in the rock arm 40 whereby the swinging of the rock arm will swing the lever 46. On the lever 14 is mounted a plate 49 that is engaged by an ear 50 on the lever 46. These parts are so arranged that at the latter portion of the swing of the rock arm 40 on depression of either key 18 or 19, the ear 50 will en age the plate 49 and rock the levers 14 and bar 17 across the links, 7. This will serve to lock the keyboard by preventing the raising of the latch bars, and it is to be understood that this is done at the latter portion of the depression of either of the keys. and after the pin 33 on lever .9 has passed beyond the lug 25, as indicated in Fig. 3. In machines of this character thelatch 41 on the rock arm 40 is moved forward by engagement with the end of a pitman 51, that is done at the end of theadvance stroke of the pit- 15 to bring the locking man, by engagement with the pin 42. This the latch and rock arm being no longer held depressed the rock arm will swing upward to the position indicated in Fig. 18. This will serve to release the lever 46 from its raised position and its ear will no longer support the plate 49. However, at this time, in machines of this character, a pin 52 on the pitman will have advanced from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 to that indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. From this it will be seen that this pin 52 now supports the plate 49 in the raised position to hold the locking bar 17 over the links of the latch plates. The arts are so relatively arranged that the pm 52 willengage and retain the plate 49 raised when the pit- 0 man goes forward and releases the rock arm 40 from the key. The pin 52 will retain the plate 49 elevated until the latter portion of the return stroke of the pitman when the plate 49 will be released and the locking bar returned to normal position. The construction of the locking plate 49 and its connection with the lever 15, forms no part of the present invention, but is set forth in application filed by us Serial No. 164,007.

It will thus be understood that on depression of either of the keys 18 or 19, the lever 9 will be swung at once to raise all the latch bars that will free the stop bars and clear the keyboard. This is done at the first part of the depression of the key. On further downward movement of the key the rock arm 40 will swing far enough to cause the ear 50 to engage the plate 49 to raise the plate and bring the locking bar 17 over all of the latch bar links; but this is not effected until the latch bars have been raised and released. By other means, as set forth, the locking bar is retained to lock the latch bars until the latter part of the movement of the pitman, whereupon all of the parts are restored to normal position.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a calculator the combination with adding mechanism, a keyboard, a main operating member and totaling means including a special key arranged to cause a total to be taken by the operating member, of a releasing member positively actuated by the depression of said total key to release any key in the keyboard that may have been depressed, and a keyboard lock also actuated by the depression of the total key that is operated on the final movement of the total key when depressed after said operation by such key of the releasing means, whereby the keyboard will be first cleared and there upon locked by the act of depres total key.

2. In a calculator the combination with adding mechanism, a keyboard, a main operating member and totaling means including a special key arranged to cause a total sing the key when depressed after said operation by such key of the releasing means, whereby the keyboard will be first cleared and thereupon locked by the act of depressing the total key, said locking means serving to retain the keyboard locked until the latter part of the totaling operation of the main operating member.

3. In a calculator the combination with adding mechanism, a keyboard, a main operating member, totaling means including a special key arranged to cause a total to be taken by the operating member, and a subtotal key, of a releasing member positively actuated by the depression of either said total or said sub-total keys to release any key in the keyboard that may have been depressed, and a keyboard look also actuated by the depression of the said key that is operated on the final movement of the said key when depressed after said operation by such key of the releasing means, whereby the keyboard will be first cleared and thereupon locked by the act of depressing the said key.

4. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard including keys and stop bars, and latch bars arranged to control the stop bars, and a total key, of means for causing elevation of all of the latch bars by the act of depressing the total key when first moved to release all stop bars and keys advanced whereby to clear the keyboard, a locking member arranged to be moved to engage and look all of the latch bars to prevent advance of any of the stop bars, and means for moving said latter member to locking position by the depression of the total key at the latter portion of its movement after such key has actuated the latch bars to release all stop bars advanced. V

5. In a calculator, the combination with a key board including keys and stop bars, and latch bars arranged to control the stop bars, and a total key, of means for causing elevation of all of the latch bars by the act of depressing the total key when first moved to release all stop bars and keys advanced whereby to clear the. keyboard, a locking member arranged to be moved to engage and look all of the latch bars to prevent advance of any of the stop bars, means for moving said latter member to locking position by the depression of the total key at the latter portion of its movement after such key has actuated the latch bars to clear the and connections between the sub-total key and said clearing and locking means to cause the sub-total key to first clear the keyboard and thereupon lock the keyboard.

6. In a calculator, the combination of a,

keyboard including keys and stop bars advanced by the keys, springs for retracting the stop bars, and latch bars arranged to hold the stop bars in advanced position and release them for retraction on elevation of the latch bars, a total key, means for causing the depression of the total key to first elevate all of the latch bars to release the stop bars and thereupon to release the latch bars, a locking member arranged to be shifted to engage and look all of the latch bars against elevation, and means for moving said latter member to latch-bar-lockingposition by the depression of the total key at the latter portion of its depression and after such key has caused the said elevation and release of the latch bars.

7. In a calculator, the combination of a keyboard including keys and stop bars advanced by the keys, springs for, retracting the stop bars, and latch bars arranged to hold the stop bars in advanced position and to release them for retraction on elevation of the latch bars, a total key, means for causing the depression of the total key to first elevate all of the latch bars to release the stop bars and thereupon to release the latch bars, a locking member arranged to be shifted to engage and look all of the latch bars against elevation, means for moving said member to latch-bar-lockingposition by the depression ofthe total key at the latter portion of its depression and after such key has caused the said elevation and release of the latch bars, a sub-total key on the machine, and connections between the sub-total key and said control and lock of the latch bars to cause the depression of the sub-total key to first reciprocate the latch bars and thereupon lock the latch bars against movement. a

8. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, a total key, and a main operatingimember, of a releasing member positively actuated by the depression of said key to release any key that may be in ad vanced position, a keyboard look also actuated by the depression of the total key to be operated on the final movement of said key when depressed and after operation of said releasing means, whereby the keyboard will be first cleared and thereupon locked on the final depression of said key, said locking means being released at the latter portion of the movement of the said operating member. V

9. In a calculator, the'combination of a keyboard including keys and stop bars advanced by the keys, strings for retracting the stop bars, and latch bars to hold the stop'bars in advanced position and releas ing them for retraction on elevation of the latch bars, a total key, means for causing the depression of the total key to first elevate all of the latch bars to release the stop bars and thereupon to release the latch bars, a locking member arranged to be shifted to engage and lock all of the latch bars against movement to release the latch bars from the said locking means.

10. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, and a total key, a member arranged to swing to release all of the keys when advanced and to free the keyboard when retracted, of a pivoted plate that is swung on depression of the total key, a latch pivoted on the said plate, a pawl pivoted on said plate and normally engaging the latch to cause it to engage and swing said releasing member on swinging of the plate by the key, a fixed stop arranged to engage said pawl on movement of the swinging plate to cause the pawl to release the latch platetherefrom, whereby on retraction of the swinging plate the latch plat-e will be swung on the swinging plate on engagement with the releasing member without moving the releasing member.

11. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, a total key, a swinging member arranged to release the keyboard when advanced, and to free the keyboard when retracted, of a swinging plate arranged to be swung by the total key when depressed, a stop on said releasing member, a spring on the releasing member to press the stop against the margin of the swinging plate, a latch mounted to swing on the swinging plate, a lug projecting from the latch, a pawl on the swinging plate normally engaging the latch to hold the said lug projecting beyond the swinging plate whereby on swing of the plate by the key the lug will engage said releasing member stop to shift the releasing member, a fixed stop arranged to engage and shift the pawl to release the latch plate-upon said lug passing said stop, whereby the stop and releasing member will be retracted and retained in such position for the further advance of the swinging member and key, said lug serving to strike said stop on retraction of the swinging plate, whereby the latch plate free .from the pawl is swung back on the swinging plate without movement of the 12. In a calculator, the combination With a keyboard, a total key, a swinging member arranged to release the keyboard when advanced, and to free the keyboard when retracted, of a swinging plate arranged to be swung by the total key when depressed, a stop on said releasing member, a spring on the releasing member to press the stop against the margin of the swinging plate, a latch mounted to swing on the swinging plate, a lug projecting from the latch, a pawl on the swinging plate normally engaging the latch to hold the said lug projecting beyond the swinging plate whereby on swing of the plate by the key the lug will engage said releasing member stop to shift the releasing member, a fixed stop arranged to engage and shift the pawl to release the latch plate upon said lug passing said stop, whereby the stop and releasing member will be retracted and retained in such position for the further advance of the swinging member and key, said latch during further advance of the swinging plate being engaged by the stop pin to retain it in latched position for the remainder of the advance stroke, said lug serving to strike said stop on retraction of the swinging plate, whereby the latch plate free from the pawl is swung back on the swinging plate without movement of the stop and re leasing member until the lug passes the said stop on the plate, whereupon the latch plate will be retracted to be again locked by the pawl.

13. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, a locking member arranged to be shifted to lock the keyboard, a total key, a sub-total key, and a rock arm arranged to be engaged by either of said keys when depressed to be thereby swung, of a stop connected with the rock arm and arranged to engage and swing the locking member on movement of the said rock arm by the total key at the latter portion of the depression of the key, a main operating member on the machine arranged to reciprocate, and a stop pin on the said operating member arranged to engage the locking member in the normal operation of the operating member without depression of the total or sub-total key, said stop being arranged to engage said lever after depression of the total or sub-total key to shift the lever and its stop away from the locking member and to itself thereupon hold the locking member in locking position until final portion of the retraction of the operating member.

14. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, a locking member arranged to be shifted to lock the keyboard, and a total key, of a rock arm, a latch on the rock arm arranged to be engaged by said key when depressed, a stop connected with the rock arm on the last portion of the swing of the rock arm by depression of said key, a main operating member on the machine arranged to be reciprocated and to engage said latch at the latter part of the advanced stroke to release the latch from said depressed key, and means connected with said main operating member to hold the locking member in shifted position at said release of the rock arm until retraction of the operating member.

15. In a calculator, the combination with a keyboard, a locking member arranged to be shifted to lock the keyboard, a total key, and a sub-total key, of a rock arm, a latch on the rock arm, arranged to be engaged by either of said keys when depressed, a stop connected with the rock arm on the last portion of the swing of the rock arm by depression of one of said keys, a main operating member on the machine arranged to be reclprocated and to engage said latch at the latter part of the advanced stroke to release the latch from either of said depressed keys, and means connected with said main operating member to hold the locking member in shifted position at said release of the rock arm until retraction of the operating member.

Signed at New York, N. Y., June 27 1917.

WARREN FUHRMANN. EDWARD M. SQUAREY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.! 

